FGF21-engineered ADSCs promote diabetic wound healing by mitigating ferroptosis and oxidative stress via the SIRT1/NRF2/GPX4 signaling pathway.

ABSTRACT:

Background

ADSCs and growth factor-based therapies are widely investigated for diabetic wound healing. However, the clinical translation of ADSCs is limited by their biological instability under hyperglycemic conditions, while exogenous growth factors face challenges such as short half-life and high production costs. Here, we propose a novel strategy using FGF21-engineered ADSCs (ADSC^FGF21), leveraging the dual advantages of stem cell paracrine effects and FGF21's established role in metabolic regulation, to target ferroptosis and oxidative stress, key pathological drivers of delayed wound healing in diabetes.

Methods

To investigate ferroptosis in diabetic wounds, we quantified iron accumulation, DNA oxidative damage (8-OHdG), and lipid peroxidation (MDA assay) in

SUBMITTER: Liang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12628967 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature